Latest News Headlines for Thursday January 18, 2024- Texas Attorney General Paxton firmly resisted federal demands for state authorities to vacate a public park along the U.S.-Mexico border, recently taken over by state National Guard soldiers. This defiance sets the stage for a legal confrontation with the Biden administration regarding national immigration policies.
Responding to DHS Jonathan Meyer, Paxton staunchly refuted the administration’s claim of the state’s actions being “clearly unconstitutional,” signaling that Texas has no intention of retreating from its stance.
—
The U.S. launched its fourth series of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen within a week, in response to continuous Houthi attacks on commercial vessels.
U.S. Central Command confirmed that the operation targeted “14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles ready for launch in Houthi-dominated areas of Yemen.” CENTCOM highlighted the urgent threat these missiles posed to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships, ready to be launched at any moment.
—
Intense Israeli air raids hammered the Gaza town of Khan Younis, escalating the death toll of the conflict with Hamas militants to 24,448 Gaza residents and 193 Israeli troops.
Yasser Zaqzouq, seeking refuge with his family at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, shared his harrowing experience with the BBC, stating, “This level of air strikes is unprecedented. The sheer terror, the children’s screams and cries, it’s the most intense armed confrontation we’ve ever witnessed.”
—
Hawaii’s state Legislature commenced a new session, committing to tackle critical issues exposed by the catastrophic wildfire that obliterated the historic town of Lahaina in August.
Legislators emphasized the urgency of addressing these challenges not just for Maui, but statewide. Fire prevention is a paramount concern, affirmed Senate President Ron Kouchi. Meanwhile, Lahaina remains devastated, with cleanup progressing slowly, nearly six months after the fire claimed 100 lives.
—
In Massachusetts, Dean Kapsalis received a life sentence, with parole possible after 15 years, for the 2021 murder of Henry Tapia following a racially charged road rage incident.
Last year, a jury found Kapsalis guilty of second-degree murder and other charges, stemming from a confrontation with Tapia on January 19, 2021. The altercation concluded with Kapsalis using a racial slur and fatally striking Tapia with his vehicle. Tapia later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital, according to prosecutors.
—
King Charles III of England is postponing upcoming engagements to undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate next week.
Buckingham Palace announced, as reported by Politico’s European edition, that the king requires a “corrective procedure” for his benign enlarged prostate. Following the treatment, King Charles, aged 75, will take a brief hiatus from public appearances to recover.
—
A federal appeals court has opted to reinstate a U.S. sales prohibition on Apple’s premium watches amid a patent infringement dispute involving a sensor, potentially leading to the removal of these devices from stores for the second time in under a month.
The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington issued this decision three weeks after temporarily lifting the ban, allowing Apple to resume sales of the implicated Series 9 and Ultra 2 watch models. This move reignites the legal battle with Masimo, a medical technology firm.
—
Americans facing hefty overdraft fees could soon see significant relief.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed a new rule aimed at curbing exorbitant overdraft fees charged by banks. In the past two decades, Americans have shelled out nearly $300 billion in such fees, typically $35 per overdraft transaction. The new regulation could reduce this fee to as low as $3, offering substantial financial relief to millions.
—
A library in England recently received a book that was overdue by 44 years.
The Essex Library Service shared on Instagram that an individual returned Great Prime Ministers by John Whittle to the Manningtree Library.
The return date for the book was originally set for June 30, 1979.
While it’s not specified if any late fees were charged for this delayed return, the Essex Library System disclosed in 2018 that it had accumulated over $442,000 in outstanding fines.
